I am on Patreon - Come and Join me

I took the plunge and started a Patreon Page a while back, as I move forward in my bid to create free content for those interested in the use of creativity and the effect on our health and well-being.

My passion is creating and sharing how the Arts and Creativity can impact our health and well-being and in the process help you spend more time using creativity to unlock your creative talents.

What is Patreon?

Patreon is a place where you can support artists who create content you love, so they can make more content. It's kind of like a membership with different tiers, the cool thing is that you get rewards for each month you support, whether that is just once or on an ongoing basis. 

I have been an artist for over 15 years, a mother, a carer and a creative soul.  I looked after my mother for over 17 years and have seen first hand the changes that take place in a loved one living with dementia and the impact on the family.  I was not longer able to care for my mother and a few years ago and had to put her in a nursing home which was devastating.

Art Heals

I used art and creativity as a tool to help me through the 17 years and saw first hand the positive impact that it had for me as well as my mother and I went on to share my art and creativity with men and women who attended a day care center specializing in dementia care.

I believe everyone should have access to the arts across the board. Creating and sharing what I am doing, encouraging participation and hopefully being inspiring means so much to me, especially when you can create important resources for free. The importance of the arts to our lives really came to the forefront of what I was doing when my mum started showing signs of Alzheimer’s which is now in the severe stages and while the effects were devastating, Art and Creativity and improving both of our nutrition helped us navigate the uncharted territory, and there has and continues to be so many treasured moments. 

The Arts gave us the space to express ourselves in ways that words could not. I have been creating and developing resources for everyone and anyone who just wants to be able to create and find themselves in the midst of their situation too, I also started a free Arts and Health network sharing and curating information about Arts and Health events globally. If I can make a positive impact on just one person that would be a blessing.

Subscribe to a Tier on Patreon

My goal is to help you find ways to incorporate art and creativity into your life and to find those pockets of time.  My art and workshops are designed to inspire you to dream, to remind you of all that you already know, and to help you discover the best parts of yourself.

Check out the Tiers below

$3 Tier - Creative Gifts

$10 Tier - Creatively Treasured

$15 - You are Talented

I want to do more and I’d LOVE for you to be part of the adventure with me.

Through your subscription to my Patreon page, I will have the resources to create more art and more content (including ongoing workshop series, digital downloads, tutorials, vlogs, books!). And you will have access to as little or as much as you want. You decide when you select your subscription tier!

I want to create community; a space where we can all share and spread our creative wings together. I want to share the ins an the outs of this imperfect, messy and beautiful journey and I want inspire you on your own journey.  The ability to create isn't reserved for the special. It is for ALL of us.

Your soul knows there is more,  Your mind has forgotten. My work aims to remind you while you increase your creativity and unlock your hidden talents, Join me.”

Come and check out the Patreon page - HERE

In the News - Sickle Cell Awareness - Josh and Ahisha's Story

I wanted to share this video that my stepdaughter Ahisha made to explain just how blood disorder Sickle Cell affects lives. Her husband Josh suffers from it and is in and out of hospital. It can be quite a stressful experience that a crisis can put on the whole family. They have a 3 year old and often when Josh is taken to hospital Ahisha shoulders the responsibility of keeping the family going, as well as running back and forth from the hospital.

In support for those with Sickle Cell that affects mostly the Afro Caribbean community, Ahisha started a sponsorship page to give blood and more - (she is terrified of needles), and there needs to be more people coming forward to give blood, you never know when you might need it yourself.  It is important that we all do our part regardless of our race, so step out today!

If you can't give blood, you can support Ahisha and sponsor her, read a bit about her story on 'Ahisha gives blood'. 

Why Donate to this cause?

They will be using the donations to buy staple foods and health supplements to give directly to patients in Hammersmith Hospital hematology department.

They will receive things to help them deal with the long term effects of the medications they need to take; especially whilst in hospital on poor quality hospital meals.

Ok, so what you waiting for! hop along to Ahisha's page and donate so that others who are suffering can be helped, go along to your nearest hospital or blood drive and give blood yourself, you could be saving someones life.

Stay blessed as you are a blessing!

UBC - Day 24 - Support Network - Tips for Carers

Thank you for joining me for another day of Tips for Carers we welcome day 24.

Valerie and Laura help me celebrate my birthday

When caring for a loved one it is important to build a support network that you can call on, a group of people that can be there for you each with their different functions depending on how much time they can give.  No man is an island and not meant to go through this alone,  they say it takes a village to raise a child and I think that it takes a community to care for their elders.

Mum beats Sekani at table tennis

My good friend Valerie reminded me recently that friendship means that you can call on each other in the difficult times and as a friend if I needed her to sit with mum then she would gladly be there for me as should all friends and the feeling is mutual.  Both Valerie and Laura have been there for me and mum.

The problems arise when you are afraid to ask for help for someone to give you a break or a night to catch up with some sleep.  If you don't ask, you will never know, they might even say yes!  I think that generally most people want to help but don't know what to do, They look at you and think you have it all together, and you therefore just have to be specific about the help you need.  People cannot yet mind read and don't want to assume what type of help you need, which can sometimes be as simple as just sitting with your loved one for an hour to give you a break or stopping to have a coffee with you so that you can get some conversation.

Mum at a local church function

As you connect with a local carers group you will find a network of people that know what emotions and difficulties you go through in your caring role, and is a resource that you should make sure you use.  What are the kids doing? You can also get the children involved by sharing your memories with them and in turn get them to talk about their day or time at school with the one you are caring for, there may be something that you used to do as a child that the kids can relate to.  There are many activities that you can have ready for those who come round to visit and have some interaction with the one you are caring for, such as looking through photos, organising draws, and working together on a craft activity.  These types of activities are great for those times when people come to visit, and for some they need to feel that they are doing something practical when they visit.

Having that support network prevents feeling isolated for both you and the one you are caring for.

For now, think of 5 people friends, family and neighbors you can ask for assistance and who can be part of your support network.  If we all try and help each other we can bring back a sense of a community. 

You can also click on the 'Celebrating life' image to be taken to the rest of the posts from the Journey of a Carer.

Gratitude's and Celebrations - Week 33 - Use your strength

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

Sometimes we forget the many things that we have come through, gotten out the other side of, stepped out of the way of.  There are times when we never thought we would get through and nearly came to the point of giving up.  In these times we have to call on those strengths that we don’t often get to use though they are they there. I am not talking the physical ‘I can move a mountain’ strength, but the ‘I have been to the deepest darkest pit and came out the other end type of strength and we have to dig deep. 

This type of strength is the kind that comes out of immense pain, be it loss or illness. Our strengths are often prepared in the fire. I see one of my strengths as one who can encourage, having come from a place where in my younger days I wanted to disappear to experiencing the loss of many loved ones.

I love being able to support others in being able to find the strength which lay within them, that can often mean a simple shift in perspective or uncovering and dusting what they saw as weaknesses. I am grateful for today for the strengths which lay within me and celebrate the ones that I will uncover this year.

What would you say your strengths are and how can you uncover new ones? How can you identify the many strengths you have in your life today? I would love to hear from you and share what you will be doing. As this weekend draws to a close have a blessed week If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Gratitudes and Celebrations - Week 21 -Support

Support - Gratitude's and Celebrations

When you feel like quitting, reach out to your support network

Who is in your support network?

The saying, 'no man is an island' reminds us that we were never meant to be in this on our own.  Here is a song courtesy of Dennis Brown.

We can isolate ourselves or feel isolated in certain circumstances but we have to make sure that we surround ourselves with encouraging and positive people who can not only keep it real, but also see further than what is in front of them - our cheer leaders near and far that encourage us to go another mile, take another step to be more than we ever thought we could be.

As we look to surround ourselves with encouraging people, let us also be the one who can encourage and shine the light on others.  Your words of encouragement to another could make the difference between them giving up or getting up and dusting themselves off and trying again. 

I celebrate the encouraging souls near and far that have been a source of strength along the way and I am grateful for another day to be able to encourage someone else.

As this week draws to a close can you think of the beautiful things in your life. Do leave a comment and have a blessed weekend!

If you want to see how I made the journal (click here)